Middle schooler with muscular dystrophy bags 800-lb. moose

Thursday

Nov 8, 2012 at 3:15 AMNov 8, 2012 at 9:24 AM

By Conor Makemcmakem@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — Hunting was never anything Teagan House really considered. The 12½ year old Rochester resident has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. His muscles are progressively weakening and he is wheelchair-bound.

But his life changed after meeting Strafford County Sheriff Wayne Estes at a muscular dystrophy event earlier this year.

Estes told Teagan and his mother about “Hunt of a Lifetime,” a nonprofit organization whose mission is to grant hunting and fishing dreams for children aged 21 and under, who have been diagnosed with life threatening illnesses.

The spark was lit and the volunteers started lining up.

Teagan's application was accepted at Hunt of a Lifetime. Sheriff Estes and New Durham Police Chief Shawn Bernier began the process of training Teagan on gun operation and safety. Farmington Fish and Game Club, of New Durham, provided Teagan an honorary membership for target practice and Thompson Center Arms gave him a modified .308 rifle with his name engraved on it.

And that was just the beginning.

Chappell Tractor, of Milford, donated an Action Trackchair, an off-road wheelchair that more resembles a tank. Since Teagan has trouble controlling his muscles, Hunt of a Lifetime provided an aiming device for the rifle, which allowed him to move the rifle up and down and side to side. He was able to fire the rifle with a blow tube.

“Teagan did very well, especially with the devices they had for him to help,” said Chief Bernier.

The state provided one of two special moose hunting licenses allowing Teagan to hunt weeks before hunting season actually opened. Additionally, Teagan underwent back surgery several weeks before the big hunt so the state supplied a special permit so he could shoot from the back of a truck.

At the beginning of Columbus Day Weekend, Teagan, his mother, sister Alexandra, father Steven Sprague, and stepfather Oliver Tufts headed to Errol, about three hours north of Rochester. They stayed in a handicapped accessible cabin provided by Denise Roberge. The hunting spot was an hour north of the cabin, in Pittsburgh, near the Canadian border.

The days began at 4 a.m., so Teagan could leave the cabin by 5 a.m. Hunting lasted until 6:30 p.m. when darkness fell. Though radios are typically not allowed for moose hunters, they were specially permitted for Teagan's trip and starting Friday afternoon, about 20 volunteers, armed with radios, hit the woods in search of moose.

“Saturday was very cold and rainy,” Jessica said. “They had to fight with Teagan to get him into the front of the truck to warm up.”

Saturday came and went and there were no moose.

As they were about to admit defeat on Sunday, driver and guide, Keith Joyce, of Crystal Ridge Guide Service, spotted a moose 152 yards away.

“It was awesome,” Teagan said. “We were leaving for the night and we saw it 20 minutes before last light.”

Teagan's father Steven was slated to stay with him to help him steady his gun, while stepfather Oliver was a backup shooter. Teagan shot twice and the 800 pound moose went down, but the light had faded, so they had to leave it for the following morning.

“(Teagan) was so excited after he shot,” Sheriff Estes, said. “He was excited through the whole thing and when he did get it, he was real excited and that's what I like to see is for these kids to be happy.”

Keith Roberge is a sergeant in the Coos County Sheriff's Department and a Hunt of a Lifetime co-ambassador.

“Everybody wants to help with these hunts. There are no issues with finding volunteers,” Roberge said. “It's getting these kids out to do something that they'll never be able to do. These kids are definitely special and have gone through a lot in their lives.”

“He was a trooper,” Chief Bernier added.”He wanted to get that moose. Just watching his determination was an inspiration to me.”

Paul Folger, of South Berwick, Maine butchered the animal and provided five boxes of meat to Teagan and his family. New tenants in a Habitat for Humanity home in Rochester, the family gave away most of the meat to friends in low-income housing.

Mike Stevens, of Sunrise Taxidermy in East Wakefield, volunteered his services as well and the family is slated to have a moose head for their wall soon enough.

Jessica was especially touched by gifts given to Teagan by guide Keith Joyce and his wife Kim, including a cake with a pewter moose ornament, a metal moose figurine, a T-shirt and hat from Crystal Ridge Guide Service and a stuffed moose toy.

“He's just a great kid with a great attitude and the disability he has didn't bring him down,” said Chief Bernier. “I think it's an important program for kids with disabilities to show that there's nothing they cannot do even with the disabilities they have.”

Hunt of a Lifetime is a nationwide, nonprofit organization, started by a woman whose child's wish to go deer hunting was declined by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. There is no public funding, according to Sheriff Estes. Donations make it all happen.

Only two moose hunts are available in New Hampshire per year, Roberge noted, but the group is willing to help with any kind of hunt wanted.

Teagan has been showing pictures of the hunt to his friends at Rochester Middle School. He has become a hunter and is planning on returning for bird hunting next year.

“The only thing it cost us was the weekend,” Jessica said. “Just to see his expression, we would have done it a dozen more times.”

Hunt of a Lifetime applications are being accepted for 2013. Visit www.huntofalifetime.org for more information.

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